Watsonville, California Income Statistics
Watsonville Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
D
Watsonville Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Watsonville | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $78,827 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,214 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.3% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.5% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 10.1% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Watsonville is about 21% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Watsonville (6.3%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Watsonville earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Watsonville, California grew by 71.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $78,827 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.3% per year.
Watsonville has stayed below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. It came closest in 2022, at 0.3% lower. The gap has narrowed from 9.9% in 2009 to 2.0% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Watsonville
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 4,815 households (34.8% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 22.1% of households in Watsonville had an income under $35,000 and 17.6% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Watsonville has a larger share of households earning $75,000 to $99,999 (17.9% vs 12.6%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (10.1% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 524 | 3.8% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 525 | 3.8% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,140 | 8.2% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 871 | 6.3% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,308 | 9.5% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 2,166 | 15.7% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 2,478 | 17.9% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 2,381 | 17.2% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 1,041 | 7.5% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 1,393 | 10.1% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 13,828 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 2,371 residents (6.5% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 7.8% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 17.4% of Watsonville residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 33.3% had some income but less than $25,000, and 12.5% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Watsonville has a larger share of residents with no personal income (17.4% vs 12.8%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (6.5% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 6,389 | 17.4% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 3,855 | 10.5% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 3,170 | 8.6% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 5,167 | 14.1% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 4,472 | 12.2% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 4,808 | 13.1% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 4,227 | 11.5% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 2,209 | 6.0% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 2,371 | 6.5% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 36,667 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 17.4% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Watsonville
| Metric | Watsonville | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.564 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,590 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,878 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.1% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Watsonville, it is 0.564, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 22% more than women's income in Watsonville, California. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $339,920 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Watsonville, California has widened from about 7% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2021, and was narrowest at 1% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,315 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Watsonville widened by 10.8 points while California's narrowed by 4.3 points.
Employment
| Metric | Watsonville | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.4% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,636 people are unemployed in Watsonville, California.
The average commute time in Watsonville is 22 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Watsonville, California has fallen from 10.9% to 7.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.4% in 2013 and fell as low as 7.3% in 2023.
Watsonville has stayed well above the U.S. unemployment rate in every year from 2011 to 2024 and has never dropped below it. It came closest in 2015, at 0.6 points higher. The gap has held fairly steady over the period.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Watsonville, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Watsonville, California.
How Rich Is Watsonville, California?
Watsonville has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $78,827, about 21% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Watsonville, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Watsonville, California rose 71%, from $46,060 to $78,827. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +71% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Watsonville in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Watsonville, California was $75,807, up 2% from $74,302 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Watsonville in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Watsonville, California was $63,107. By 2024 it had risen 25% to $78,827.
What is the Gini coefficient in Watsonville, California?
The Gini coefficient in Watsonville is 0.564. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Watsonville, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Watsonville, California has widened from about 7% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2021, and was narrowest at 1% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,315 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →